Giants Suspend Eli Apple After Teammate’s ‘Cancer’ Comment

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Cornerback Eli Apple was suspended on Wednesday for a “pattern of behavior that is conduct detrimental to the team.”CreditCreditSeth Wenig/Associated Press

By The Associated Press

Dec. 27, 2017

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Cornerback Eli Apple has been suspended by the Giants for the season finale against the Washington Redskins a day after his teammate Landon Collins referred to him as “a cancer.”

The Giants announced the suspension Wednesday afternoon after Apple had participated in practice. Kevin Abrams, the interim general manager, and Steve Spagnuolo, the interim coach, informed Apple of the suspension.

Abrams said Apple was suspended for a “pattern of behavior that is conduct detrimental to the team.”

Collins never referred to Apple, the Giants’ first-round draft pick in 2016, by name in a radio interview on Tuesday. However, he said only one cornerback on the team needed to grow up, and he later said “that first pick” was “a cancer.”

Collins apologized for the comments on Wednesday. He and Apple met separately with Spagnuolo, and then all three talked.

Collins was not in the locker room after practice. Apple declined to speak with the news media.

The suspension was announced several hours later.

Apple played in 11 games this season, and started seven of them. He had 49 tackles (41 solo) and eight passes defended. He was inactive for four consecutive games, from Nov. 19 to Dec. 10, and returned to action against Philadelphia on Dec. 17 and recorded a team-high nine tackles (seven solo).

Despite playing well against the Eagles, Apple only played on special teams last week. Brandon Dixon and Ross Cockrell each played all 68 defensive snaps at cornerback.

“The way the practices went last week,” Spagnuolo said, “we felt that the two guys that we played practiced better with the group and that’s why we went in that direction.”

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page B11 of the New York edition with the headline: Giants Suspend Apple for Season Finale. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe